Keep cool in your caravan or camping with a 12v fan
Camping is a great past time, but in summer it can get very hot inside tents or caravans. The best way to stay cool is by using a small 12v fan. A camping fan can really make the difference between an enjoyable, relaxing holiday and a terrible, sweaty hot mess of a trip!
Camping fans come in all sorts of configurations including:
- Roof / hatch mounted
- Traditional ceiling / hanging fan
- Oscillating standup fan
Anyway, let’s get straight into our 12v camping fan reviews. In our opinion, the best fans are:
- TRA 12V Electric RAIN Sensing Caravan
- Etbotu DC 12V Low-voltage Ceiling Hanging Fan
- Oztrail 12″ Fan (12V / 240V) Rechargeable Portable Camp Camping Tent
- VaygWay 12V Car Oscillation Fan- 12 Volt Cigarette Lighter Fan
- VaygWay 12V Fan for Car Fan
If you have a large caravan however, a fan probably isn’t that suitable, so instead check out our reviews of the best caravan air conditioners.
Choose the Right Camping Fan: Buyers Guide
Buying the best camping fan can be a real hectic process if you don’t know the pros and cons of the buying process. Obviously, it is an amazing moment when you decide to go camping as it gives you a break from your daily hectic workloads and you need to re-energize your brain through the activities you love.
Mostly people like to go camping in the summer season as it lets you enjoy the colorful nature that is not possible in snowy white winters. The hot summer season can make the environment a little bit uncomfortable if you don’t get a camping fan for you. Before you set off to get a camping fan for your camping trip, make sure to read the following guide so that you may have an idea of what to look for while buying a fan for you.
Top 6 factors to consider when buying a camping fan
1. Fan Speed
Speed is the most important factor that determines the delivery of cool air blown by the fan. When you turn on the fan, it actually throws the hot air out of the place and blows the cool air in. So the speed with which the blades of the fan move, decide the time needed to cool the area, the fan is working in. So higher the speed is, the cooler the place will be within a small amount of the time. Moreover, the thing to look for, in a fan, is adjustable speed options. Because you don’t always want to have higher speed cooling.
Sometimes you just need a medium or small amount of air so it is easy for you to adjust the speed of the variable speed option is there. Higher speed also brings more noise and battery consumption that cause inconvenience to you.
2. Power Source
You must know a power option before you buy the camping fan. Camping fans can be either electrically powered or with batteries. It is a great option to choose a fan that has batteries in it because using a battery fan can be easy for you from a portability and transportation point of view. Alkaline batteries are commonly used as a power resource for camping fans.
Another option is a rechargeable battery. You can also have electrically powered fans if you have an electricity source within your tent. Solar-powered camping fans can also be used but these fans are only effective in sunlight. Always go for a fan that gives you convenience and versatility at the same time.
3. Design of Fan Blades
Design and the material of the blades play an important role in the efficiency of a camping fan. The fan with a durable design and material works with higher efficiency and smooth speed.
The most common materials used in the making of a fan are metal and plastic. Metallic blades are highly efficient because of their high density. They give the air a good cut while working and a large amount of air comes out of the fan, so the blow of air is really smooth and powerful. But metallic blades make a fan noisy, heavy and kind of dangerous as it may harm your fingers if you accidentally put your hand in the blades while they are functional.
On the other hand, plastic blades provide a smart design that is light in weight and easy to transport. They provide a smooth airflow with little or zero noise. Plastic blades can be damaged on small pressures or if mishandled during transport.
4. Fan Run time / Battery Life / Power Consumption
All those fans powered by batteries have a run time that shows the time a fan works before it turns off. Most of the fans have a run time between 3 to 6 hours. The run time is directly proportional to the speed of the fan. If a fan works at a full speed or higher level of speeds, it consumes more battery than those fans that work at slower speeds. The battery of the fan is also consumed if you have some charging ports for your portable devices and any LED light drains the battery at a faster speed.
5. Size of the fan
The size of the fan is one of the most important factors to consider while buying a camping fan. If you are camping alone and you have a backpack, then the small size is a wise choice for you A big fan occupies a large space and this is what you don’t want. Moreover, the season of camping also determines which size you must choose. As the big fan removes hot air fast and blows cool air at high speed, so big size fans are recommended for summer camping. Moreover, during family camping and car camping trips, a big size fan can be chosen.
6. Fan Weight
Weight is one of those things that decide the portability of any object. As you know heavy things are hard to manage and carry, so make sure your camping fan is lightweight which is portable, easy to carry and transport. It is a really tough task to carry all the things that are required for camping and packing those things can become difficult for you if you have lots of heavier things with you. Lightweight objects can be transported easily. So opting for a lightweight fan is a wise choice for you. Moreover, you can easily mount it on the top of your tent or anywhere as per available options.
Final Thoughts on Choosing a Camping Fan
When you decide to go for outdoor trips, a camping fan is a must-have. It provides you a lot of comforts that you cannot ignore. To have a camping fan is a must as without it you can not enjoy your trips because of the hot environment.
There are a lot of camping fans available in the market and all of them almost look alike. So before you decide to buy one, make sure to read the important factors that help you to buy your required item. Moreover, when you decide on a final item, don’t forget to read the reviews about it. It can give you the actual picture of the product. Have fun.
Happy camping!